Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1887-05-07
THE AGNEW TRIAL,

J
stable Horner delivered Agnew to vii
ness, who locked the prisoner in tn
City Hall, at Burlington. Said t
prisoner; "Bill, you've got yoursel
into bad scrape." "Yes, 1 will tel
you about it," he answered. The pris
oner said that he and his wife ha,
gone to ball on New Years eve AM
had got to drinking heavily. The.
purchased three quarts of whiskey ant
then went home to drink it. Had
little spree with his wife and she strucl
at his face. Then he hit her with
poker and afterwards with rockins
chair. He beat her until he was tireC
out and then he laid down and wen
to sleep. The prisoner said he didn'
realize until the next morning that sh'
was dead and then he carried the body
up stairs and after washing it placed i
on the bed. Said he slept in the bee
after she was dead and tucked the bed
quilts between so that he would no
touch her. Witness hand-cuffed Ag
new and brought him to the Jail a
Mount Holly, the next day. While
on the train the prisoner said "Dick
this is my last ride" Gave Agnev
ten cents worth of whiskey, at the re
quest of Coroner Naylor, on the day
of the arrest. Witness said that Ag
new made the confession of his own
free will and was not threatened.
Howard Flanders. of Burlington
attorney-at-law, testified that he went
TO Palmyra, with Coroner Naylor on
January 18th, and they, with several
other persons, visited Agnew's house
Saw the body of Mrs. Agnew lying on
a bed, on the second floor. Some one
pulled the covers off of it and exposed
to view the head, neck and part of the
bust. The face was considerably
bruised and discolored. The hair on
the top of the head was considerably
rumpled. Saw a bucket at the foot of
the bed filled with what appeared to
be blood and water, and also some
clothes. After going down stairs, a
man named Baker pulled broken
rocking chair from closet under the
stairway. There was no fire in the
stove, but the tea-kettle contained
warm water. Witness identified the
rocking chair when exhibited to him
in court.
Edward Harris, of Palmyra, saw
Agnew on the evening of January 18th.
Saw Constable Horner make the arrest
and was deputized to assist in taking
the prisoner to the lookup. The Off
Ger asked Agnew how he came to do
this and he answered that it was
whiskey that done it, and that he did
it with a rocking chair. While they
were placing the prisoner in the lock-
up some one raised cry of lynch
him. Witness then went to Agnew's
house in company with six or seven
persons. They entered the back door
as the front part Of the house was
locked. Went upstairs and found the
body lying on bed. Recognized it
to be Mrs. Agnew. There were good
many scars and bruises about the body
and the nose was broken. There was
a bunch of blankets or quilts aside of
the body. Found a broken rocking
chair in closet down stairs. Carried
the chair to Constable Horner's house
two days after the arrest was made.
George Baker, of Palmyra, heard Of
the arrest and at about half-past eight
on the evening of January 18th, ac-
companied Coroner Naylor to the Ag-
new house. Was requested to stay
with John Grant and watch the body.
Stayed there Wednesday night and
Thursday, when the Coroner took the
body to Burlington. Saw the broken
rocking chair under the stairway and
on examination found two red spots on
a piece of the back. Saw Mr.. Horner
take basket of clothes out of the
same closet, but did not notice any
stains. No one had been in the house
while witness was there.
Joshua E. wilkins had resided in
Palmyra for thirty one years. He was
present when Agnew was arrested and
went along to see him locked up.
Heard the constable ask the prisoner
why he did it, and he answered that
he had been drinking and had struck
her with rocking chair.
Mrs. Lydia Wallace, wife Of Josiah
Wallace, the hotel keeper, took the
stand. She was we'll acquainted with
Agnew and Lizzie. She washed and
did other work for witness every week.
On Friday night, December 3lst, Liz
zie helped get supper for a party
from Philadelphia, who were having a
ball at the hotel. Agnew came to the
hotel at about 7 o'clock on that even.
ing and stayed in the kitchen most of
the time. Agnew and his wife were
perfectly sober when they left the
hotel and babe the witness happy
New Year. Did not see either one
drink anything during the evening.
Lizzie did not return the next day and
witness never saw her after that. Paid
Lizzie two silver dollars for the work,
before she left the hotel on Saturday
morning. Saw Ag1ew in the barroom
on Monday evening, January Sd, and
asked him if he had been getting Liz
zie on another spree He cursed the
witness and Mr.. Wallace ordered him
out of the house. Saw Agnew again
on Wednesday and asked him if Lizzie
was coming to wash, to which he an
swered yes. One day in November,
when Lizzie was working at the hotel,
Agnew came to see her. When he
stepped in Lizzie said to him: what
do you come after me for; | expect
you want to kill me- Eyes, | will
give you the unlucky blow some day"
Agnew replied. Both were perfectly
sober at the time. On cross examina-
ton the witness said she had never
heard Agnew speak GROSSLY to his wife
except when he had threatened to kill
her and even then he spoke mildly.
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